Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda reiterated his resolution to extend the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission for the U.S-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan during his first policy address at the parliament Monday afternoon.
Describing it as one of the pressing issues, Fukuda said the mission in the Indian Ocean is an action agreed by the international community to prevent the spread of terrorists and is also highly appreciated by the international community led by the United Nations, according to Kyodo News.
The current special antiterrorism law authorizing the MSDF mission will expire on Nov. 1. The nation's major opposition Democratic Party of Japan has been refusing to support the ruling bloc's attempt to extend the law for the third time, citing the illegitimacy of the U.S. operation out of the UN framework.
Now that the opposition bloc controls the upper house of the Diet after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s crushing defeat in the parliamentary election in July, Fukuda's Cabinet is considering a bypass method to extend the mission, such as raising a similar new bill to replace the old one.
The 71-year-old newly-elected premier, famous for his moderate stance, expressed his willingness to have discussions with the opposition on the issue.
Fukuda was elected president of the ruling LDP on Sept. 23 to succeed Shinzo Abe and was appointed prime minister by the parliament two days later.
Source: Xinhua
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